Netflix’s Edit of “The Passion” Sparks Heated Viewer Reactions

Large dome with statues on curved building

Netflix quietly removed a key biblical passage from “The Passion of the Christ,” triggering a wave of Christian backlash that ultimately forced the streaming giant to restore the scripture just before Good Friday.

Key Insights

Netflix omitted Isaiah 53:5 from the opening of “The Passion of the Christ,” replacing it with 13 seconds of black screen
The passage is considered pivotal in Christian theology as it prophesies Christ’s suffering and is known as “the forbidden chapter”
After significant social media backlash and subscription cancellation threats, Netflix restored the verse by Good Friday
The controversy highlighted the tension between faith communities and content platforms regarding religious material

Scripture Removal Sparks Outrage

Christian viewers were stunned to discover that Netflix had removed the opening biblical verse from Mel Gibson’s landmark film “The Passion of the Christ.” The 2004 movie traditionally begins with Isaiah 53:5, a scripture Christians view as prophetic of Jesus Christ’s suffering, but Netflix subscribers instead found themselves staring at a black screen for 13 seconds where the verse should have appeared. The omission quickly caught attention when a Catholic woman named Cassie highlighted it on social media on April 14, setting off a chain reaction of outrage across Christian communities online.

Reports of the missing scripture appeared inconsistent, adding to the confusion. While some viewers confirmed the omission, a Christian Post reporter noted that the verse still appeared on their personal Netflix account. This discrepancy suggested the issue might vary by geographic location or account settings, though Netflix provided no explanation for these variations. The streaming service remained silent as the controversy escalated, neither confirming the removal was intentional nor offering justification for the change.

The Significance of Isaiah 53

The removed passage holds extraordinary theological weight for Christians. Isaiah 53:5 reads: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” For believers, this Old Testament verse written centuries before Christ’s birth represents a clear prophecy of Jesus’s sacrificial death, making its inclusion at the beginning of Gibson’s film particularly meaningful. The passage establishes the theological framework through which viewers are meant to understand the brutal depiction of Christ’s suffering that follows.

“You hear this passage, you know it’s talking about Jesus. Whether you believe he’s the Messiah or not. That’s precisely why it was so powerful for Mel Gibson to have put it at the start of The Passion of the Christ.” – LifeSiteNews Editor-in-Chief John-Henry Westen

The passage is sometimes referred to as “the forbidden chapter” by some Jewish scholars because of its apparent connection to Christian claims about Jesus. Eitan Bar, as noted in coverage of the controversy, highlighted that many Israeli Jews express surprise when learning this passage comes from their own scriptures. This tension makes the verse all the more significant in interfaith discussions about the Messiah and demonstrates why its inclusion in the film was a deliberate and meaningful choice by Gibson.

Public Pressure Forces Reversal

By April 17, the backlash had reached a tipping point. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson joined the chorus of critics, taking to social media to condemn Netflix’s decision. “You can’t silence the Truth. Christ is King,” Johnson declared, reflecting the sentiments of many Christians who viewed the omission as an attack on their faith. The controversy quickly expanded beyond religious circles, becoming a flashpoint in broader cultural debates about media companies’ handling of religious content.

Netflix subscribers began threatening to cancel their memberships in protest. The mounting pressure appeared effective, as LifeSiteNews confirmed that while the omission was still present on April 17, Netflix had restored the quote by Good Friday, April 18. The timing of the restoration—coinciding with one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar commemorating Christ’s crucifixion—seemed deliberate, though Netflix never issued an official statement acknowledging either the removal or restoration of the verse.

The episode demonstrates the significant influence faith communities can still wield when mobilized through social media. For many Christians who participated in the backlash, the restoration represented a rare victory in what they perceive as an increasingly secular entertainment landscape that often appears dismissive of traditional religious content and perspectives. The controversy reminds content providers that faith-based audiences remain a substantial and engaged demographic willing to take action when their values are challenged.